It was a blast Mom.....

And so we ALL know.... I missed Kali.  Badly.  Bill and Kris laughed like it was funny.  So go ahead and roll your eyes too.  Whatev.   It always makes me more happy to see my kids happy....but the feeling of missing someone isn't a bad thing.  Especially your daughter.  Your only sweet pea.  Each day I loved to read her texts'.  Trying so hard to "not check in so much", as I was told on Sunday evening.   Her view first morning...I won't caption each picture.  Just a sneak peek at what I got to see.  Oh the love of being a teen. Carefree.  Swimming. Laughing.  New friends.  Old friends. Best friends.  Life as they know it.  Hair.  Bathing suits. Trading Suits.  Sunblock. Lip Glass and chapsticks.  Ice Creams. Hikes.  More laughter.  Fast showers. Like Max 5 mins.  Sharing flat irons.  Charging cell phones. New restaurants.  Para-sailing. More laughter.  Life for a week on the island.  Enjoy these smiles.  I sure did.

First day. 

Hi Bodie. 

UHHMERICA!

The D family treated the girls to The M Restaurant.  Her explanation was everything us.  Everything good food.  Good vibe.  She said "Mom, we HAVE to go back there"!  I assume they have good wine.  Or she wouldn't mention to me.  haha.  HAHAHA.  kidding.  no I'm not.  well, kind of.  HAHAHA!

She is her Mothers Daughter.  Snaps of dinner?  4th of July Dinner?  Fried Green Tomatersss. Sure.  Here you go Mama.

Happy Independence Day 2012

Kell, Kee, Mitchell, Bodie and Mac Dut.

While she was away, my week was everything abnormal.  Yes, I decorated.  Yes we got alot done.  One day we worked, a couple we didn't.  The sun didn't shine until Thursday.  UGH! I enjoyed an awesome lunch with Kyoko, and headed back to the dock to catch whatever sunrays I could.  I actually needed it.  The gloom was quite depressing.  For some reason this week just wasn't what I had in mind for The 4th of July. Everything was just so different.  While I laid there reading my Martha Stewart Magazine....(not being sarcastic either...lol)  I came across this poem that I will share with you.  I believe Mommies and Daddies fall under this category.  Parenting in general.  Missing them.  Receiving little gifts. Summer.  Camps.  I hope you appreciate the meaning :  By the way Martha's mag's always have yummy food, and super good stories.  So go buy one.  Soon. Or else.  kidding.  

"THE LANYARD" By Billy Collins-

She gave me life and milk from her breasts, 

and I gave her a lanyard.

She nursed me in many a sick room, 

lifted spoons of medicine to my lips, 

laid cold face-cloths on my forehead, 

and then led me out into the airy light

and taught me to walk and swim,

and I, in turn, presented her with a lanyard.

Here are thousands of meals, she said,

and here is clothing and a good education.

And here is your lanyard, I replied, 

which I made with a little help from a counselor.

Here is a breathing body and a beating heart, 

strong legs, bones and teeth,

and two clear eyes to read the world, she whispered,

and here, I said, is the lanyard I made at camp. 

Adorbs.  Right?  Made me tear up.   

I am aware she wasn't at camp.  I am aware she didn't bring me back a lanyard.  I actually didn't get anything. I wasn't expecting anything.   Not even a heart shaped rock, that I kind of thought would blossom from her trip.  But what we experienced was her first long trip away from us.  She has never been one to travel away from us, spending the nights places.  She just never has.  But she loved this trip. It was like camp.  Experiencing all things good.  Life at 16.  Fresh ocean air.  Spending 5 nights on a boat.  Hiking with friends, while laughing so hard at times, they'd almost become breathless.  Summer.  July.  Sixteen.  Away from home.  And to hear these words when I picked her up today.  "Mom, it was a blast".  Makes another paragraph in Chapter 16, all the sweeter.  Trust me, all the sweeter. 

Thank you from the bottom of my big ol' heart to The D fam bam for making this memorable trip just so perfect, perfect, perfect for them all.    It is because of you.  It really is. 

Have a great rest of the wierdest holiday week/weekend ever. 

Go PLAY HARD, and PLAY FAIR PLAYERS!

Lots of love to you, and you, and you....

Muah,  xo

One happy Mommy.